Rubber boot or shoe.



T. E. LA FAYETTE.

RUBBER 800T 0R SHOE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE [6. IBM.

Patented 10%. 11,1917".

fia/venfor:

Tfieodam z. Lalkyaiefa STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE E. LA FAYETTE, OF WATERTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HOOD RUBBER (30., OF WATERTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS, A. CORPORATION OF MASSACHU- SETTS.

RUBBER BOOT OR SHOE.

Specification o! Iletters Patent.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE EDWARD LA FAYETTE, citizen of the United States, residing at VVatertown, Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rubber Boots or Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

My said invention is particularly advantageous in connection with rubber oots designed more especially for use in rough work such, for example, as mining and quarry work, and the object of the invention is to rovide protection for the upper at the point where it joins the sole so that separation or breakage of the parts and resultant leakage will be prevented.

Heretofore, so far as'I am aware, rubber boots built up in the customary manner and with the rubber outsoles having their edges of reduced thickness and turned up around and vulcanized to the sides of the upper, have not been adapted for work of this char; acter, as the comparatively thin turned-up sole edge tends to become abraded by the rough usage and to separate from the upper, causing the boot to leak; and boots intended for such purposes have had a heavy welt sole applied, usually embodyin a layer or outsole of leather, secured in p ace by welt stitches.

Such boots are, however, more expensive than a rubber boot having the ordinary rubber sole, but by my invention I produce a rubber boot at no more cost than that having the turned over sole edge above referred I to, but with the joint between the upper till and sole protected so that an article of extreme durability is secured.

In order that my invention may be thoroughly understood, I have appended hereto a sheet of drawings in which v Figure 1 is a sectional perspective of the outsole;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the forward or toe portion of the completed boot with the line of junction between the rand and .sole indicated by dotted lines.

Referring by reference characters to this drawing, the numeral 1 designates the outsole of the boot, being of rubber compound and of uniform thickness from ed e to edge and having the duck or friction fa ric layer 1 on the top thereof terminating inside of the edges of the sole.

The upper indicated at 2 is also made up in the-ordinary manner with the inner sole comprising layers of fabric and rubber and the ordinary rag sole, as indicated at 3. At 4 is shown a rand or strip of rubber compound which I apply at the joint, and which in vulcanizing becomes intimately united to the sole and upper and forms a thick sole edge projecting sufliciently far to efiiciently protect the upper. By this means I provide 'an extremely serviceable but economical boot.

My preferred manner of applying the rand is to apply it to the outsole prior to the application of the outsole to the boot, the outsole with its applied rand being thereafter placed in position and secured by the vulcanizing to which the boot is subjected.

Patented Dec. 11, 1917.

The projecting edges of the sole are buffed down to present a smooth appearance.

While I have described my invention more especially in connection with rubber boots, it will be understood that it is applicable to other types of rubber footwear, as, for example shoes known as tennis shoes or sneakers.

Havin thus described my invention What I claim is:

A rubber boot having a projecting outsole and a rubber welt completel covering the upper surface of the projecting margin of said outsole and vulcanized thereto and to the upper, thereby thickening the edge of said outsole.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THEODORE E. LA. FAYETTE. I 

